Vacuum feed



1.1. KERN.

VACUUM FEED.

APPLicAmN FILED MAR` 14, 192i'.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

3 SHEETSI-SHEET l.

hr14 Kil-IRAN.

VACUUM FEED.

l APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, 192|. 13404529.

3 SHLEfS-SHEET Z.

@er M l 'Ma ttouuq Paented Jan. 24, 1922.

1.1. KIEHAM.

VACUUM FEED.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4, ISZI. 1,404,529u Imented Jan. 24, 1922.

3 SHttIS-SIIEEI 3.

I noauto@ .Y IIIIIIIIII n 0 S. u/III m I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. HIER/AN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 ENEA BOSSI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VACUUM FEED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application filed March 14, 1921. Serial No. 452,372.

To all whom. t may concern Be it known'that l, JOHN J. KIERAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Feeds, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates broadly to gasolene feeds for hydrocarbon engines, and more especially to a vacuum feed system.

The principal object of the present in vention is an improvement in the valve for controlling suction and an improvement in the mattei' of the primary and secondary tanks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suction control valve adapted to remain closed when it is desired that the feed be cut off, and to quickly open even under high vacuum when the feed is to be active.

. more specic object of the present invention isa iioat operated suction control valve adapted to remain tightly closed when the lioat is in its upper position and to open quickly when the fioat reaches a predetermined point ir` the lower travel thereof.

Still more specifically, the present invention has for an object the provision of a suction control valve wherein admitted at the initial opening of the valve tends to drive the valve full open and to prevent chattering of the valve.

A still further and important object of the present invention is a suction control 7alve provided with .a pressure receiving surface arranged in such manner as to forcibly open the valve after the initial opening movement thereof and to permit the valve to remain tightly seated when the valve is once closed.

Another and primary object of the present invention is a secondary tank of .a pearshaped vertical cross-section with the sides thereof sloping upwardly and inwardly whereby the surface of the liquid in the tank diminishes rapidly in area as the tank tends to till.

A still further and important object of the present invention is a secondary tank of thecharactei"specied in which the primary tank depends so that the liquid area lin the primary tank is partially under the control of the height of the liquid in the secondary tank and so that the levels of liquid in the tanks tend to very quickly equalize when the primary tank empties into the secondary tank.

A still further and important object of the present invention is the arrangement for attaching the primary and secondary tanks together in such manner that there is no cylindrical space between the tanks whereby the liability of liquid being forced out of the secondary tank vent is obviated.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a vent valve for the secondary tank, which valve is adapted to permit free admission of air into the secondary tank and to prevent any escape of liquid from said secondary tank.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious 4and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification following by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like parts are designated by like characters throughout the several figures therof` Realizing that the present invention may be embodied in constructions other than those specifically shown and described I desire that the disclosure herewith shall be considered as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Figure l is a transverse sectional view of the preferred form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure l with a portion of the sides broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the suction control valve taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 5 and showing the valve closed;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the action of atmospheric pressure in its operation to open the valve after the initiation of the opening movement;

Figure 5 is a view on section line 5-5 of Figure 3;

`Figure G is a detail view of the valve of the. secondary tank illustrating the parts separated to more clearly show the construction: and

Figure 7 is a side view of the device illustrating the connections with the storage tank open system; and the constantly full open system. The systems are defined more specially with relation to the tanks and atmosphere. In the full open system both the primary and secondary tanks are normally open to atmosphere at all times. The present in vention is of the full open system type. in the full open system the principal problems relate to the control for the suction. The suction control valve must be suliiciently light in its operation to close under very lightsuction and at the same time must be sutliciently positive in its operation to be capable of being opened under conditions of very high suction. The conditions are particularly difficult due to the fact that air is at all times being admitted to both the primary and secondary chambers. Attempts have heretofore been made to operate the suction control Valve by means of spring operatedV levers tending to overthrow en either side of the central position whereby Ihe control valve is opened or closed by snap action. It has been found'that spring devices tend to complicate the situation and there liability 4of such valves sticking. Fnrthen more, such constructions add greatly to the cost of manufacture, assembly, and adjustment. -Als0, in the mechanically' operateefl valves difliculty is encountered where the gasolene in the main tank is accidentally en hausted. Under these conditions the entire system, including the main tank, vacuum tank, and ,carburettor, are drained of gasolene. When the main tank is refilled the olene will -not feed from the vacuum tanks until the primary tank has been well filled. This requires more suction than can be de veloped by the ordinary engine starters, and therefore 'it is necessary to manually lill. the secondary tank with gasolene before the engine can be started. This is an extremely troublesome operation because the location of the gasolene feed is usually under the engine hood and because of the construction of the feed tank, the inlet tap to the tank is small. A

Heretofore in the art it has been customary to arrange gasolene feeds with the tanks in the form of concentrically placed cylindrical vessels in such manner that an annular cylindrical space is formedbetween the pri mary tank and the secondary tank to permit escape vapor under pressure from the liquid in the secondary tank. This space tends to provide a chute for the gasolene when the car is suddenly stopped or jerked, lwhich tends to drive gasolene out through the air inlet opening, thereby throwing gasolene from the tank and not only Wasting fuel but greatly increasing liability of fire.

The present invention overcomes the diiliculties .of the known priorart by providing a full open system wherein a balanced construction is provided for the cont-rol valve iS it during times when the valve is closed, and which construction immediately becomes unbalanced when the valve is initially opened and the unbalancing action operates in`a direction to throw the valve open. This ohviates any tendency of the valve to stick or chatter, as has been one rof the difficulties of 'the prior art and also causes the valve to openfull wide with a snap action which is obtained Wit-hout the use of any springs. This operation may be accomplished by providing a piston on the end of the valve stem and by arranging relatively large conduits forming air passages to the back of the piston so that the vacuum produced back of the piston when the valve is closed is quickly broken` when the valve is partly opened. ln the preferred embodiment of the present invention the secondary tank and primary tank are united directly to obviate any annular space being formed between the side walls of the two tanks. The lateral or sidewalls of the secondary tank are preferably pearshaped in outline so that the horizontal cross-section area of the tank rapidly diminishes from the base thereof toward the junction with the primary tank. This causes the level of the liquid in the secondary tank to rise with increasing rapidity as the tank fills, and this tends to cause the liquid surface in the two tanks to quickly reach a balance when the primary tank discharges whereby the float is part of the time carried by a liquid level which is 'the same in both tanks and during p'art of the feeding period both the primary and secondary tanks have a comnien level. This permits the average level to be maintained more nearly constant than where all of the feeding takes place from the secondary tank and where the oat is dependent wholly on the level in the pri tage where the supply has been accidentally i exhausted.

Referring now to the drawings, the secondary tank 1,is preferably pressed in the form of an open shell and is closed on the back by a back plate 2 with the edges of the back plate bent over or crimped around a flange i on the pressed orti'on of the 'tank to form a seam 5. uitable eyelets t are arranged through the flange to provide screw openings for attaching the tank so any desired support. The upper portion ofthe ysecondary tank is formed with a Y- l'screw threaded neck 7 lwhich may terminate v rin a roll edge 8 and the bottom of the secondary tank is provided with an outlet 9 vlike provided with a screw threaded zone l0.

adapted to be connected with a suitable gasolene. line to a Carburettor D of a hydrocarbon engine C. A primary tank 10 may comprise a suitable metallic cup or the 11 adjacent a bead 12 so that when the screw threaded zone is seated' within the screw i threaded neck 7 the bead 12 tightly engages the roll edge l8 to prevent any leakage of .gasolene from between these parts.' An out- 1,5

-let valve 14 is provided in the bottom of the primary tank 10 and may comprise a vertically arranged disk 15 freely movable y beneath the spider 16 and seating against the end of the elbow 17. The upper end of the primary tank preferably is flanged as at 18 and is provided with a reinforcing ring 19 in which machine screws 20 are adapted to set to hold the dome 21 in position. This dome `21 may be provided with a suitable gasket 22 adjacent the flange 1 8 in order to form a gas tight joint when the dome is set in position. An inlet pocket 24 is provided on one side of the dome and carries screen 25 in the bottom thereof and a cover 26 for the' top thereof. This cover may be held in position by means of a screw bolt 27 and al guide flange l28 is provided adjacent the pocket 24 to cause.

gasolene being drawn lin through the inlet 29 to fall against the side wall of the 'primary tank. A small open vent 30 is vprovided adjacent the high portion of the -small opening is arranged below the pocket 34. A suction line opening 36 enters the' body and leads to the ogening .501 l 35 which connects with a relativelylarge opening 37 whlch leads to the valve seat 38. The body portion is bored longitudivalve 4stem .44 extends through passageway nally (Figs. 3 and 4) to provide air vents '39 and 40 which lead to the space beneath the cap 32.' The body portion is cross bored as at 41 and the end of the boring is plugged as at 42 in order to provide a iconnecting passageway between the air vents 39 and with the relatively large opening 37 which leads into the primary tank. A

37 and carries a ball valve 45 adapted to seat on the seat 38 and also carries a piston head 46 adapted to loosely operate in the pocket 34. The lower end of the valve ste'm is provided with a head 47, and a bracket 48 attached to the oat 49 is adapted to slide on the valve stem between the ball valve and the head 47. The suction line which is adapted to be connected by a suitable conduit with the manifold B of a hydrocarbon enginel C is provided with a back-lire valve 50 to prevent back pressure from reaching the valve and connected parts in ease the engine back tires. Pret'- erably the upper portion of the secondary tank is shaped as a shell 51 in which, (see Figs. 2, 6, and 7), is arranged a relief valve 52. This valve at all times admits air into the secondary tank in the direction of the arrow.E but if for any reason gasolene should rise in the secondary tank `as high as the vent the liquid immediately raises the disk 54 4(F ig. 7) which causes the disk to seat against .the end of the sleeve and thereby closes the conduit. The crinkled washer 56 against which the disk normally sets, provides sufficient clearance to at all times admit incoming air into the secondary chamber.

Referring now to Figures 1` 3, and 4, the operation of the device will be explained.

vFigure 1 illustrates the condition of the parts while the primary chamber is disch arging its contents into the secondary chamber. .Under these conditions the ball valve 45 is seatedl against the seat 38 and air, in the direction of the arrows F, is being admitted through the inlet 30 to break 4the partial vacuum in the primary chamber so that gasolene in the primary cham-ber will run out past the disk 15 of the outlet valve 14. Under these conditions with the valve seated, air has been exhausted from the pocket 34, the opening 35, the suction line 36, the large opening 37. the air vents 39 and 40. and cross bore 41. As the gasolene continues to feed out from the primary ta'nk the float 49 drops until the bracket 48 engages the head 47 on the valve stem 44 and the weight of the float lO pulls the ball valve slightly away from the seat 38. As soon as this happens air within the primary chamber under atmospheric pressure rushes in around the ball valve in the direction of the arrow G and up through the air vents 89 and 4'() in the di; rection of the arrow HL rlhis immediately relieves the vacuum above the piston head 46, as illustrated by thejarrow J, because the cross sectional area of air vents 39 and 120 40 andthe cross bore 41 is many times greater than the area of the space left around the valve stem as it passes through openingB. Consequently the vacuum beneath the piston head 46 in the pocket 34 is 125 substantially unbroken while the air pres'- Sure indicated by arrows l quickly builds up over the piston and acts to snap the valve to open position so that the ball is sutliciently below the valve seat to prevent the quickly established suction through the suction line from drawing the valve against the seat. lVith the valve open, air is being exhausted from the primary tank much faster than it can enter through the small opening 30, consequently a partial vacuum is formedin the tank which partial vacuum, together with the liquid in the secondary tank, causes the disk 15l to seat against the elbow 'which causes the vacuum to increase and gasolene is therefore drawn through the line connecting to the storage tank A, which tank is provided with a small vent 5T in the upper portion to admit air as the gasolene is drawn out. This action continues until the ioat bracket 48 engages the ball valve and lifts the same against the valve seat 38 where the-valve is again held seated due t0 suction, which is continuous in the suction line connected to manifold B of the gasolene engine C, so long as the engine is running. Ars gasolene is fed from the storage tank to the Carburettor D, air is gradually drawn into the storage tank as is required through the relief valve 52. p

From. the foregoing it will be obvious that an exceedingly simple tank arrangement has been provided to feed gasolene to ahydrocarbon engine carburettor as is required, and Where in either a light or heavy suction may be employed by connecting the device to a hydrocarbon engine manifold, or other suitable source of suction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is;

1. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be exhausted by suitable suction devices, a suc.- tion control valve comprising a valve meniber adapted to cut off said tank from lthe effect of the suction vdevices when the valve is closed. means to initially open said valve, and means to quickly drive said valve open after the initial opening movement.

2. A vacuum' feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be exu hausted by suitable suction devices, a suction control valve comprising a valve member adapted to cut off said tank from the effect of the suction devices when the valve is closed, means to initially open said valve, and means operated by fluid pressure to quicklydrive said valve open after the initial opening movemen 3. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from' which air is adapted tc be exhausted by suitable suction devices, a suction control valve comprising a valve member adapted to cut off said tank from the effect of the suction devices when the valve is closed, means operated by the liquid level in said tank to initially open said valve, and means operated by Huid pressure to uickly drive said valve open after the ini tial opening movement.

incense ifi vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be eX- hausted by suitable suction devices, a suction control valve comprising a valve membeil adapted to cut off said tank from the cii'ect of the suction devices when the valve is closed, means to initially open said valve, and means operated by fluid pressure admitted beneath the valve to quickly drive said valve open after the initial opening movement.

A vacuum feed device compirising a tank from which airis adapted to be eX- hausted by suitable vacuum devices, said tank being provided with an open vent, a valve for cutting olf suction from said tank when thev valve is closed, means to initially open said valve, and meansopera'tive upon said initial opening to receive fluid pressure from the tank to drive said valve full open.

6. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is-adapted to be exhausted by suitable vacuum devices, said tank beingV provided with an open vent, a valve for cutting oit suction from said tank when the valve is closed to4 permit atmosphere to enter through said lvent to overcome the vacuum in said tank, means to initially open said valve, and means operative upon said initial opening to receive fluid pressure from the tank to drive said valve full open.

7. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be exl hausted by suitable vacuum devices, said tank being provided with Aan open vent, a valve for cutting ofi' suction from said tank when the valve is closed, means to initially open said valve, and means having a vacuum 105 maintained on one side and operative upon vsaid initial opening to receive fluid pressure from the tank upon the other side to drive said valve full open.

8. A vacuum feed device comprising. a 110 tank from which air is adapted to-bc exlhausted by suit-able vacuum devices, said tank being provided with an open vent, a valve for cutting off suction from said tank when the valve .is closed, a ioat to initially open said valve` and means operative upon said initial opening to receive fluid pressurev from the tank to drive said valve full open, said means comprising a disk on the valve stein.

9. A vacuum feed device Comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be exhausted by suitable vacuum devices, said tank being provided with an open vent, a Valve for cutting oit suction from said tank when the valve is closed to permit atmosphere to enter through said vent to overcome the vacuum in said tank, a float to initially open said valve, and means having a vacuum maintained on one side and op- `nected to the suction device, a valve stem carrying a valve adapted when seated to close one end of said opening, a pressure receiving member carried by said stem, conduits of greater'n cross sectional area than said opening and leading from adjacent the valve seat to back of said member so that when said valve is initially opened air entering around said valve flows through said conduits back of said member to establish pressure on said piston to force said valve full open.

11. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be eX- hausted by suitable suction devices, a valve for cutting ofi' suction from said tank when the valve is closed, said valve comprising a body portion With a pocket therein and having an opening connecting the pocket to the suction device, a valve stem carrying a valve adapted when seated to close one end of said opening, a pressure receiving member carried by said stem, conduits of greater cross sectional area than said opening and 'leading from adjacent the valve seat to back of said y member s6 that when said valve is initially opened air entering around said valve flows through said conduits back of said member to establish pressure on said member to force said valve full open.

12. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be eX- hausted by suitable suction device, avalve for cutting off suction from said tank When the valve is closed, said valve comprising a body portion with a pocket therein and having an opening connecting the pocket to the suction device, a valve stem carrying a valve .adapted when seated to close one end of said opening, a piston carried by said stem and movable in the pocket, conduits of greater cross sectional area than said opening and leading from adjacent the valve seat to back of said piston so that when said valve is initially opened air entering around said valve flows through said conduits back of said pis.- ton to establish pressureon said piston to force said valve full open.

. 13. A vacuum feed device comprising a tank from which air is adapted to be eX- hausted by suitable suction device, a valve for cutting off suction from said tank when the valve is closed to permit atmospheric 'pressure te overcome the vacuum in said tank, said tank having a constantly open vent to atmosphere and said valve comprising a body portion with a pocket therein and having an opening connecting the pocket to the suction device, a valve stem carrying a valve adapted when seated to close one end of ,said opening, a piston carried by said stem and movable in the pocket, conduits of greater cross sectional area than said opening and leading fromv adjacent the valve seat to back of said piston so that when said valve is initially opened air entering around said valve flows through said conduits back of said piston to establish pressure on said piston to force said valve full open.

14. In a vacuum feed device, a tank from which air is adapted to be exhausted by suitable suction devices; a suction control valve comprising a valve member adapted to cut olf said tank from the etlfect of said suction devices when the valve" is closed; said valve comprising a body portion provided with a cylinder in the upper end thereof; a small conduit leading from said cylinder; a large conduit connected therewith and leading to a valve seat; a vacuum conduit connected to said large conduit; a cap covering the upper end of said body portion and providing a chamber into which said cylinder opens; a relief conduit of relatively large area leading from the large conduit to the chamber beneath said cap; a valve stem extending through said large conduit, said small conduit, and into said cylinder; a valve mounted on said valve stem, a piston mounted on said valve stem and movable in said cylinder, and means controlled by the height of liquid in said tank to initially open said valve whereby fluid pressure admitted around said valve flows to said chamber and acts on said piston to drive said valve full open.

15. In a vacuum feed device, a tank from which air is adapted to be exhausted by suitable suction devices; said tank having an open vent to atmosphere, a suction control valve comprising a valve member adapted to cut off said tank from the effect of said snction devices when the valve is closed; said valve comprising a body portion provided with a cylinder 1n the upper end thereof; a small conduit leading from said cylinder; a large conduit connected therewith and leading to `a valve seat; a vacuum conduit connected to said large conduit; a cap covering the upper end of said body portion and providing chamber into which said cylinder opens; a relief conduit of relatively large area leading from the large conduit to the chamber beneath said cap; a valve stem eX- tending through said large conduit, said small conduit, and into said cylinder; a

valve mounted upon the lower portion ofsaid valve stem, a piston mounted upon the upper end of said valve stem and movable in said cylinder, and, means controlled by the height of liquid in said tank to initially Open Said Valve whereby fluid pressure admitted around said 'Valve Hows to said cham* ber and aets on said piston to drive said valve full open.`

16. A vacuum `feed device comprising a cylindrical primary tank, a secondary tank directly attached to the primary tank and being of substantially pear-shaped lateral cross-section, and a` Screw thread connection between said tanks.

17. In a vacuum feed system, the combination of a primary tank, a secondary tank directly secured to the primary tank by a screw threaded junction, said seconda-ry tank being substantially pear-shaped in cross section.

18. ln a vacuum feed system, the combination ot a primary tank, a secondary tank d1- rectly secured to the primary tank, said sec-V JoHN J. KIERAN. 

